Hi, y’all. My name is Rose, and I am writing to you almost a week after my study abroad program began in Tampere, Finland. Everything here feels different — from the weather to the culture — but I’ve already come to love it!
Preparing for the Weather
Like many students at The University of Texas at Austin, I was born and raised in Texas. Before moving to Tampere, the coldest weather I can remember was probably 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Last semester, I savored the sunshine at Barton Springs more while I thought about the upcoming temperatures I would soon experience during a Finnish winter.
I did my research and learned that the key to staying warm is to layer — and then layer again. Bearing this in mind, I boarded the flight in just leggings and a T-shirt (Dallas was 70 degrees) and deplaned wearing two pairs of pants, three shirts, a coat, gloves, a scarf and heavy winter boots.
When I arrived in Tampere, my Texan heart burst at the sight of beautiful snow all around me. Thankfully, I had prepared well for the weather and stayed warm every time I left my apartment.
Navigating a Different Culture
I came to Tampere knowing some basic information about Finland. First, I knew it would be very cold. Second, it’s one of the happiest countries in the world with the highest rate of gender equality. And third, winter sports (obviously) are very big here.
I didn’t know, however, what cultural nuances would greet me when I arrived. During my first week, I was thrilled to find an influential student union, extremely trusting individuals and a big emphasis on sustainability.
At UT Austin, student representation is derived from councils of different colleges and the student government. At Tampere University, the student union, TREY, also has a lot of power. By joining the union and obtaining TREY’s student card, you can receive discounts both on and off campus simply for attending the university.
The TREY card constitutes your student ID, rather than a card given out by the university itself. It’s also responsible for practically all the student organizations, which include both guilds and clubs.
Getting Together with Guilds
Guilds and clubs have their own rooms throughout the university for studying, eating and simply hanging out. Guilds, at least at the technology campus, are composed of groups of students from different majors. For example, the “urbannum” guild consists of urban development majors.
The guilds each have their own overalls, to be worn throughout the year, with a unique color. As students progress through their education, they cover their overalls with patches from different events and programs they have attended. By the end of their studies, they have a special outfit full of memories.
I am a member of two guilds specifically for exchange students and have a set of green overalls for decorating and wearing.
Guilds consist of 200-300 members, like the size of a typical sorority or fraternity. However, the guilds come at a cost of 5 euros for dues (per year) and 30 euros for the overalls. Guilds provide a necessary community and relaxing space for students stressed out by their studies. From what I’ve seen of the clubs, they are less formal than guilds and based more on hobbies.
Trust and Sustainability
The trusting culture I have found here is quite foreign to me. On my first full day in Tampere, I searched for food, as I hadn’t eaten since being on the plane. Luckily for me, a K-market is on my block. Wanting to try Finland’s famed chocolate, I purchased a Fazer chocolate bar and went about my day.
That night, having survived on only a few hours of sleep, I was happy to get home and eat the chocolate … only to discover that I had left it at the store! The next day, I needed to buy lunch and ventured into the store again. I bought another bar — this time, telling myself I wouldn’t forget it. But the cashier remembered me from the day before and gave me back my original bar! I was shocked.
The level of trust I’ve encountered in Finland isn’t restricted to corner markets. People wear coats everywhere and need a place to store them inside. I’ve found that I can simply leave my hat, gloves and puffy coat on a public coat rack at the university and expect to find them there hours later. Though I know, with such low crime rates, this shouldn’t come as a shock.
Finland also takes a very different approach to sustainability. In the public hallways or staircases of housing spaces and apartments, light switches are located next to the door and are set on a timer to preserve energy.
When out shopping, it is almost impossible to find a product in plastic packaging, even peanut butter. You also must bring a bag with you anytime you go shopping. In the past week, I amassed a small collection of reusable bags due to forgetting to bring them to the supermarket with me.
Additionally, you can get money back from recycling your bottles and cans at almost every supermarket and corner store. Cars are used sparsely, and most of the cars I see on the road are more than a few years old or are electric. Practically everyone uses public transportation, with trams running every seven minutes and buses circulating through the city.
Registering for Classes
At Tampere University, the year is divided into four periods instead of two semesters. This means more registration periods, but also more classes to choose from!
Compared to UT Austin, registering at Tampere was easier. You choose a collection of classes you’re interested in, and your registration goes through after a few weeks. Then, after the first week of class, you can still add or drop classes simply by emailing the professor!
Speaking of professors, the hierarchal gap between students and professors is much smaller here. All my professors prefer to be called by their first names, and the structure of lecture halls promotes a more active and intimate learning experience than the 500-person lecture halls I am accustomed to.
Why the Hype About Saunas?
Finns are famously known for using saunas. Having used gym saunas in the past, I honestly didn’t understand why. To me, saunas were just a heated room where I could warm up before a workout. That is, until I tried the “teekarisauna” (a sauna for technical students) on Friday.
The sauna is not merely for physical health, it is also for making social connections. Finns are stereotypically reserved, but their stoicism goes out the window in a sauna. I had great conversations, sang traditional Finnish folk songs and got to see a completely different side of Finnish culture. I left the sauna feeling warm, cozy and sated.
This post was contributed by Audrey Rose Wehrmann, a Global Ambassador for Spring 2025. Rose is a second-year studying abroad in Tampere, Finland.
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